POWAI, MUMBAI | Residential Interiors | Approximate Area : 1100sq.ft | Completed | 2019
Photos by Kunal Bhatia
We’re constantly enamoured with the idea of story telling. During this project, we were formally setting up our interior and architecture arm, Insitu. As a studio, the attention to detail has been something consistent with all projects we’ve worked on, at Kalakaari Haath and Insitu. A large part of the inspiration was based on the act of creating in place. The concept was to use simplistic and familiar materials usually associated with homes and re-interpret them through unconventional details and application. Each detail has been created with a strong association to Sahiba, an architect and Karan, a pilot's story and its relevance to the space. At the studio, we are constantly trying to refigure the role of the architect and the craftsman, the designer and the execution team. The effort has been to incorporate a sense of conversation, dialogue between the two within the design process. Over the years, we have worked very hard to find this balance with a team of masons, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, etc. A lot of the design details came out of these conversations and translated into the overall project aesthetic. Since this was an old home, the primary design intent was majorly functional. Much like any other Mumbai home, every space was crucially sculpted to optimise the storage and usability. We looked at the idea of the house as a space you return to after a long day of work, where you unwind and entertain your loved ones. Its’ like a balance between the oldest t-shirt you’ve been sleeping in since school and the new outfit you bought and aspire to be seen in. Each space extends a synergy in function and experience that lends to this larger personality of the home.